The launch of the PlayStation 4 marked a major shift in the games industry as a whole. It brought a new generation of games along with a lot more power, opening up tons of new possibilities for games to explore. While they may seem ordinary now, there was an impressive amount of buildup to the consoles, and the games they brought with them lead to some impressive changes this generation. But launch titles are strange. They usually seem like first tries, early indicators of what the consoles are capable of. So how do two PS4-exclusive launch games, Killzone: Shadowfall and Knack, hold up in 2020?
Killzone: Shadow Fall
Killzone: Shadow Fall still looks fairly impressive, even by today's standards. The game, largely, feels like a tech demo that was expanded out into a full game, and that isn't necessarily a bad thing. The levels are well-detailed, the character models are sharp, and everything feels incredibly well polished. In some ways, the game outshines what current FPS titles are doing. A few levels feature a semi-open structure, which makes the game feel more like a Far Cry game at some points than it does like the typical shooter.
The far-future aesthetic is something that not many games have managed to nail down, but the blend of futuristic and modern-feeling weapons manages to strike a reasonable balance, leaving everyone with something to enjoy. Compared to a weapon list like Modern Warfare's, Shadow Fall can't quite measure up, but, for the most part, the arsenal feels satisfying to use. It does lack some variety, but that's certainly not enough to kill the experience.
The Helghast enemies scattered throughout each of Killzone's levels aren't the most impressive as far as AI is concerned, but they are the perfect video game foe. Their entire design is built around looking intimidating, and Shadowfall succeeds in that portrayal. Not only that, but the Helghast backstory is also surprisingly deep, which adds an extra layer for players that have stuck with the franchise for some time. They may not be the best video game enemies of all time, but they do cut it pretty close.
Killzone: Shadow Fall does suffer from some lackluster voice acting work. While some cast members deliver their lines well enough, the main protagonist doesn't have much flavor. It certainly isn't a death sentence for a game that's mostly about fighting space Nazis, but it does bring down the experience a tad. That being said, the overall narrative isn't bad. It certainly isn't the polished adventure of other PlayStation exclusives, but stacked against other launch games and shooters, it's certainly passable.
Overall, it's a bit disappointing that there hasn't been a new Killzone game in more than six years. Guerrilla is rumored to be working on Horizon: Zero Dawn 2 right now, so there likely won't be a new game in the near future, either. Killzone: Shadow Fall holds up surprisingly well for a launch game, especially for a shooter. It isn't a perfect game by any stretch of the imagination, but it manages to build a world better than many other shooters out there even today.
Knack
At launch, Knack didn't enjoy the same benefits Killzone did with its big-budget graphics and tried and true gameplay style. Rather, Knack was trying to establish a new PlayStation icon. A character that could, in theory, appear in a sequel to PlayStation All-Stars: Battle Royale. While Knack did get a sequel, it doesn't seem likely that there will be much more for the character in the future. Both games launched to mediocre critical reception, which certainly isn't a good way to establish a long-standing franchise.
Knack is a far cry from the atrocity that many claim it is. The art style is weird and the story is definitely intended to be enjoyed by kids more than adults, but it's a completely serviceable 3D platformer - something the PlayStation could use more of. That being said, Knack does feel like a tech demo at times, but the past seven years of advancement has made it look a bit dated.
The game is at its best when it allows the titular Knack to grow and shrink at multiple points during a level. Players have very little control over how large Knack actually is, which is a bit disappointing. Watching the character and environments shift and change is Knack's best element. It's a unique type of level design that isn't really explored by games today, at least not at a triple-a level. It's something that Knack 2 does expand on, which is good to see.
Knack is surprisingly difficult at times. It only takes a hit or two from certain enemies to destroy Knack, which leads to some pretty brutal sections. It isn't Dark Souls, but for a game with an obvious slant towards kids, there are clear difficulty spikes present at multiple points.
For a game that can be picked up at a bargain price, Knack is fine. It doesn't hold up nearly as well as Killzone: Shadow Fall, but it would be a fine way to spend a weekend for someone with some time to kill. At the very least, it's worth a playthrough just to mark another PlayStation-exclusive title off the list. That being said, it may be better just to skip ahead to Knack 2 for any that are curious enough to dabble. It brought some big improvements to the formula, which is always a perk.
Considering how quickly the games industry moves, it surprising to see how well both titles actually hold up. Killzone is definitely the stand out here, but neither game is terrible. There are more impressive games on the horizon, but they stand as an indicator of what to expect from next-gen launch games. It's still a bit of a mystery what PlayStation fans can expect day one, but hopefully, the rumored PS5 reveal will show off some of what Sony has up its sleeve for launch titles. At least fans shouldn't have much longer before they find out.
